Publisher and Managing Editor IKRAM SEHGAL writes this
article for THE NATION from where we are re-producing with thanks

To
quote Vegetius in the 4th century, 'Let him who desires peace, prepare for war'.
Operation Gibraltar was one of the most brilliant operations ever planned. Maj Gen (later
Lt Gen) Akhtar Hussain Malik, the GOC 12 Div then looking after Azad Kashmir, conceived of
a plan in 1965 to infiltrate armed guerrilla bands into Indian-Held Kashmir and attack
nodal points that would tie up the Indian Army and herald a full scale revolt in the
valley. He was vociferously supported by the then Foreign Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and
the Foreign Secretary Aziz Ahmad, both of whom convinced President Ayub Khan that
conditions were ripe for such an operation and since the war was localised in Kashmir,
Indian troops would not cross the international border. While Akhtar Malik was a brilliant
tactician with impeccable motivation, both Bhutto and Aziz Ahmad were embarked on a
'heads I win, tails you lose' option. If the operation (code-named Operation GIBRALTAR)
succeeded they would get the credit, if it didn't the discredit and the damage would be
to the account of the Armed Forces, a sure way of bringing them to heel as they did manage
to do later. A mixture of volunteers from the Army, mainly those belonging to Azad Kashmir
and fresh recruits from our side of the Cease-Fire Line (CFL) in Kashmir were hurriedly
trained and launched into the valley in late July/early August 1965. While the operation
failed despite the bravery and courage of the participants, among them some of the finest
soldiers produced by the Pakistan Army, Lt Gen (Retd) Lehrasab Khan, presently Federal
Secretary Defence Production and Col Iqbal, presently Director Education Defence Housing
Authority, Karachi, then young lieutenants, the operation eventually led to war on
September 6, 1965. The Indians in a well planned but horribly executed operation to
relieve the pressure on the Kashmir choke point of Akhnur, crossed the international
border at Lahore and Sialkot in what was to be a lightning operation. Pakistan fought the
Indians to a standstill, even gaining ground in many places. For the first time graduates
of the Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) saw large-scale military operations as young
officers. However, Operation Gibraltar, named for the rock where Tariq had burned his
boats so that there was no going back when the Muslims first entered Spain failed, mainly
because, viz (1) conditions within Indian Held Kashmir were not conducive (2) major
percentage of the personnel of the guerrilla bands were neither well trained enough nor
battle-hardened and (3) there was no plan to support them with attack by either a main
force or even a logistics replenishment. Outnumbered, out-gunned, lacking proper
information and local intelligence or support, the remnants were either killed or
captured. Very few made it back, it is not fashionable today to speak about their heroics,
in the annals of war they do not exist.

No sane person likes war but when it is forced
upon you then there is no option but to fight. The Indians have violated the Line of
Control (LoC) in strength three times since 1972, when not counting the most visible
incursion of Siachen in 1984. At each time our government was weak-kneed. The Indians
decry the present Kargil operation as a result of incursion by 'Mujahideen' from the
Pakistan side of the LoC, what about their war in Held-Kashmir for over 50 years? They
have whipped up war hysteria within their country by repeated threats to Pakistan from the
Indian President downwards. While shelling and indiscriminate firing all along the LoC
they have moved troops all along the international border with Pakistan into a threatening
posture. Short of declaring when they intend to attack Pakistan, they have virtually
declared war. One result has been massive evacuation of civilians, particularly along the
borders of Punjab. For weeks now, the Pakistan hierarchy has been 'keeping a cool head'
as advised by our Chinese friends, but do we have any options left? Even though we have
leaned over backwards, instead of reciprocating the Indian reaction has been far more
negative than even anticipated by Pakistan. One may hate war but that should not stop one
from preparing for war. Going by the Indian rhetoric and body language, war is imminent.
Let us now be prepared to face it - and with optimism.

The Indians have a few options in a war scenario in an attack mode viz (1) at concerted
places along the LoC (2) going for Lahore and Sialkot (3) in the desert near Rahimyar Khan
or at Khokhrapar aimed at Hyderabad and (4) blockade Karachi. They could probably start
with Option Four and it will escalate into war because such a blockade is by itself an
'act of war' made ambiguous in recent times by the actions of US and Allies against Iraq
and Yugoslavia. While certainly we will suffer economic damage, our Armed Forces are far
better equipped and have much more warning than in 1965. Even though we will be
outnumbered and out-gunned our Armed Forces are far more capable of repelling aggressors
than in 1965. In fact based on our strategy of offensive defence we are capable of
carrying the fight into enemy territory. Unlike 1971, our Navy will not sit on it's hands
in the face of an Indian blockade, the Indian Navy may have to pay an unacceptable price
in the face of our sea-air counter campaign. Given that we can fight the Indians to a
standstill along the international border, what about Kashmir?

In all our history there will not be a more golden opportunity than at the present time
to settle the Kashmir issue once and for all. While we cannot want war, it would be
criminally irresponsible not to take advantage of the situation if war is forced on us by
India. And in the face of it we have to take their threats seriously. Let us go back to
the fundamental criteria for Gibraltar which were ignored and which now exist, viz (1)
conditions within Indian Held Kashmir now exist after a decade old internal revolt by
Kashmiri Mujahideen (2) battle hardened Kashmiri Mujahideen now will form the core of the
groups if allowed to cross over the LoC in strength (3) about 75,000-100,000 well trained
battle hardened volunteer Afghan Mujahideen are only a day or two's drive away from the
LoC and (4) hopefully, something like Operation Grand Slam, the end run to take Akhnur in
1965, will be attempted in strength at not one but over a dozen places with the Afghan
Mujahideen to link up with the guerrillas within Indian Held Kashmir. If a few hundred men
can isolate 3 Indian Divisions in Ladakh and Siachen by dominating of a road by fire, one
leaves it to the imagination if a dozen guerrilla bands of brigade plus strength isolate
the Indian Army in pockets within Kashmir. During the India-China war of 1962 this is
exactly what the Chinese did, in NEFA, by the time they reached Foothills at the base of
the Himalayas, the best part of an Indian Corps had disintegrated and surrendered, almost
without fighting. We have no occasion to go to war but if the Indians persist, why should
we turn the other cheek? Gibraltar-2 will not be like Gibraltar-1, if Gen Akhtar Malik had
these conditions in 1965, Kashmir would have been free 34 years ago.

Nobody in his right mind wants war. But we are not talking about people with a desire
to live but people like Thakre and Advani who have reached the age where they know that
they have not much time in this world. What does it matter to them if hundreds of Indian
soldiers have been killed trying to solve their ambitions. As much as one fears those in
military power who have not tasted battle and are thus the most blood-thirsty about
sending others to their death, one must be apprehensive of these 80 year-olds in charge in
India today, facing a few years of life themselves they are least concerned about the
future of their youth. If India decides on the war option, it would be a blessing in
disguise for Pakistan but would India be able to stomach the loss of Kashmir which must
come inevitably? With the nuclear button in the hands of such geriatrics, one has no
illusion about what they would do in the face of defeat. Be rest assured, Pakistan will
have no cause to use the nuclear option if we go to war but India will. As Marc Antony
said in 'Julius Caesar' 'Cry Havoc and let slip the dogs of war', but one must quote
Shakespeare in Henry the Fifth, 'In peace there is nothing so becomes a man as modest
stillness and humility; But when the blast of war blows in our ears, then initiate the
action of the tiger: Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood, disguise fair nature with
hard-favoured rage' unquote. It is time the PM and the Government stopped turning the
other cheek. We do not want war, but if the Indians are going to keep on trumpeting about
distant drums, let the war drums start to beat on our side too.